Refrigerating apparatus



March 31, 1936. R GAUGLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 27, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z m x Ewy/Map,

R. S. GAUGLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1934 March 31, 1936.

` March 31, 1936. R. s. GAUGLER 2,035,543

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1934 3 SheetS-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 31, 193% UNITED STATES aosssia REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Richard S. Gaus'ler, Dayton, Ohio, assignor toy General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio. a

corporation of Delaware Appiicauon February 27, 1934, serial Na. '213,235

8 oiaims. (oraz- 1085 This invention relates toV refrigeration and particularly to harvesting ice blocks from trays commonly employed in refrigerators of the household type.

Various devices and many structural combinations of ice trays and grids have been employed to remove or harvest blocks or cubes of ice from a tray in which they have been frozen. 1 am aware of the use of a rubber grid disposed within a metallic t'ray and the use of a rubber tray hagvm ing a rubber grid molded integrally therewith as well as many other metallic tray and grid combinations. In all these prior devices known to me, except the molded unitary tray and grid, ice

cubes or blocks cannot be quickly or readily harvested or removed from the device without application of artificial heat, such as water running from a faucet, to either the tray or grid. Removal of ice blocks or cubes from a molded D rubber unitary tray and grid has, it is admitted,

been somewhat satisfactory but a structure of this type is inherently of poor heat conducting properties and therefore fast freezing of the contents of such a tray cannot be had. This inefliciency 5 of a molded rubber unitary tray and grid structure has been recognized by those skilled in the art by their employment of a metallic tray in combination with a removable rubber grid. However the structures heretofore employed to over-u J come the inefiiciency of a molded rubber unitary tray and grid present certain problems in removing or harvesting ice therefrom. For example in the use of a metallic tray with a removable rubber grid disposed therein it is necessary to apply 5 artificial heat to the metallic tray in order to remove the ice cubes together with the grid forming same from the tray and this application of heat has usuall been carried out byholding the tray under running water. Some have eliminated i the necessity of holding the tray under running water by devising lever or cam means for raising a. grid together with the ice cubes from a tray. However,` such structure have not proven satisfactory because after the grid-together with the i ice cubes, which are bonded thereto, have been removed from the tray the cubes cannot be removed from the grid without permitting exposure of the grid to vroom temperature over a sumcient period of time to cause release of cubes from the l grid, or, without the application of artiflcial heat to the grid and/or cubes such as by holding same under water running from a faucet. Therefore none of the prior freezing devices or structures known to me have the combined features of fast i freezing of the contents of the tray and rmoval .into a plurality of separate or individual molds of the frozen substances without the application of artiflciai heat thereto. H w

An object of the present invention isto prom vide an improved freezing apparatus and method f harvesting a, substance frozen therein there? rom. 1

Another object of the invention i s to provide a:

tray in which fast freezing of the contentsftherei of can be had, when same is pIacedinOr on; a Cooling element of a refrigerating'apparatus, andV from which tray the frozen contents can be w quicirly and readily harvested without the appliflcation of artificial heat to the frozen contents.v

A further object of the invention is to provide' i i a rubber gridrfor dividing the interior of "a tray which grid can be removed from' the tray' 'and sz, from the frozen contents thereon `lwithout 'in-:fV

of the present invention will be apparent from i the following description reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein'a preferred]v` f form of the present invention is clearly shown. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet of the household' type in which the f present invention may be incorporated; f. i

Fig. 2 is top plan view of an ice' freezingtray employed in the refrigerating apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a portion of a grid disposed within the tray and taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 4 is a Vertical sectionai view taken online 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing blocks of ice disposed within the tray and separated from one another by the grid; i

Fig. 5 is a Vertical sectional view of 'a portion of the grid taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. fi is a bottom plan view of a portion'of the grid illustrating the tapered walls thereof;

Fig. 7 is a view showing both ends of the grid being simultaneously removed from the tray and the frozen contents thereof; j

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but shows the grid being removed from the tray and its frozen contents by elevating one end only of the grid;

Fig. 9 is an illustrative view showing a portion of the grid being peeled away from the frozen contents of the tray; i

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 iilustrating a portion of the grid in a position after being loosened from the tray and its frozen contents and moved 'upwardiy reiatively thereto;

the tray without tearing or damaging the grid.

' type including a refrigerator cabinet 20. The- Referring to the drawings, for the purpose of I illustrating my invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof a refrigerating apparatus of household cabinet 2| includes the usual insulated food storage compartment 2| in which is disposed a cooling element or evaporator 22 of a closed refrigerating system (not shown). The cooling element or evaporator 22 may be of any suitable or conventional structure and may include supports or shelves for supporting ice trays or receptacles 22' within a freezing compartment formed by walls of the evaporator. The trays 23 are adapted to contain a substance to be congealed or frozen by the cooling effect produced by the evaporator during its removal of heat from the food storage -compartment 2|. Each tray 22 is provided with a handle position 24 for facilitating removal of the tray from the cooling i top molds 22.

unit 22 and this handle may be of any suitable or desired shape and construction.` It is to be understood'that the trays 22 in the present invention are constructed of metallic material of good heat conduictingl properties such, for example as plated copper, so as to permit'rapid transfer of heat from the contents of the tray to the cooling unit or evaporator 22 in order to obtain fast freezing of the contents.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be apparent that I have provided means disposed within and dividing the interior of the tray 23 into a plurality of separated or individual open Por this Purpose I utilized a member'which is constructed of a ilexible material preferably of poor heat conducting properties, such, for example, as the molded rubber vgrid 26. The grid 22 comprisesa vertically disposed partitioning member or web 21 extending longitudinally with the length of tray 23 and a plurality of vertically disposed partitioning members or webs 22 extending laterally from the web 21. t;Clisd 26' is removably placed within tray 23 and open top molds 23. The partitioning members or webs 21 and 22 are preferably all tapered (see Flgs. 4, 5 and 6) or in other words are of a gradullly increasing thickness toward the top of the grid. A longitudinally extending head or bead 22, somewhat wider than thetop or thickest portion of the webs 21 and 26;'is formed or molded integral with the top portion of the longitudinal web 21. An elevated portionfiii is formed integral with the head or bead'i23 at each end of grid 26. Each of the elevated portions 3| have an opening 22 provided therein for the reception of a hook or tongs to be hereinafter more fully described. It is to be understood that the partitioning members or webs 21 Ill of a rubber composition which is rich in pure rubber content so as to be extremely flexible while the head position 22 is "loaded" or impregnated with inert substances, well known to those skilled in the'rubber mixing and :holding-art, so as to be grid divides the interior of the tray into the and 22 of grid 26 are somewhat stiif or rlgid relative to the webs 21 and 28 while at the same time being capable of being bent. Instead of integrally molding a "loaded" portion to the fiexible webs, to stiifen the top of the grid, and to prevent tearing of the grid during removal thereof from the tray. a bendable metal insert such as a chain or the like may be located in the bead or head 29 and associated with the opening 32 therein.

Having thus described the preferable construction of the tray and the grid adapted to be positioned in the tray, I will proceed with a. description of the method of harvesting ice blocks frozen in the device. Assuming that the tray has been filled with water and positioned in the Cooling unit 22 a suiiicient length of time to freeze the water, due to the cooling effect produced by the evaporator, and it is desired to harvest or remove several or all of the cubes or blocks formed by the grid from the tray. The tray 23 is first removed from the evaporator or cooling unit 22 and thereafter any suitable instrument such as the tongs 35 (see Fig. 7) may be employed for removing the grid 26 from the tray 23 and from the blocks of ice 36 contained in the tray. Tongs 35 include a handle portion 31 and two arms 38 pivotally secured to the handle portion 31, in any suitable manner such, as at 39. A hook or finger 4| is pivotally secured as at 42 to each of the armsl 38. The hooks or fingers 4| are inserted in the opening 32 provided in the elevated portion 3| formed on the longitudinal head 29 of grid 26. Movement of the tongs 35, after insertion of the hooks 4| into openings 32, upward relative to tray 23 causes both ends of the grid 26 to be elevated. The upward movement of the grid 26 relative to the tray causes the tapered partition members or webs 21 and 28 to peel away from the ice cubes or blocks 36. This peeling action of the webs 21 and 28 froin the ice cubes 36 is caused by stretching the portion of the webs located above the top of the ice blocks upon bending and moving the head portion 29 of grid 26 upwardly by the tongs 35. Stretching of the flexible rubber webs upwardly above the top of the cubes 36 causes the width of the tapered webs adjacent cubes 36 to diminish (see Fig. 9) and this diminution of the width of the webs 21 and 28 occurs progressively toward the bottom thereof to virtually peel the webs from the ice blocks. This i webs thereupon assume or return to their original tapered formation (see Fig. 10). Obviously this peeling action of the grid 26 from the ice blocks 36 progresses from each end of the tray 23 toward the center thereof .by continued movement of the tongs 35 upwardly to remove the entire grid from the tray and its frozen contents (see Fig. 11)

It is to be understood that the bond between ice cubes or blocks 36 and the tray 23 is left unbroken by the foregoing described operation of removing the grid from the tray. It is therefore necessary to break the bond between the cubes 36 and the tray 23 in order to permit harvesting or removal of the cubes from the tray. Ice trays as herein disclosed and as are commonly emplcyed in household refrigerators are, as a general rule, constructed of thin metal and are of sufiicient length to permit same to be slightly fiexed or twisted out of their original formation. Therefor, in order to break the ice bond between spears-13 the ice cubes 36 and the walls of tray 23, after the grid 26 has been removed, the operator grasps each end of the tray and twists the ends in opposite directions. This twist of one end of the tray relative to the other' end..thereof causes the ice cubes 36 to be broken away from walls of the tray. Freeing lof the ice cubes 36 from the walls of the tray- 23 permits movement thereof within the tray and by; elevating one end of the tray 23, as shown in Fig. 12,the cubes 36 are caused to slide or move into abutting relation with one another at the lower end of the tray thus providing a space at the elevated end of the tray to enable the cubes to be removed or harvested from the tray by hand or by serving tongs.

I have found, however, that to accomplish the objects of my invention it is not necessary to simulta'neously elevate both ends of the grid relative to the tray.- 'For example, a hook or tool '44 (see Fig. 8) may beinserted in theiopening32 provided in the raised 'portion 3| at one end of the grid 26 `and movement of this tool VH upwardly relative to the tray 23 will move the webs or partition members 21 and 28 progressively outwardly of the tray from one end thereof to| the other to cause the grid to be peeled away from the ice cubes in the tray. After the method of removing grid 26 from trays 23 with theaid of tool-H, as described, has been carried out it is obvious that theiice blocks or cubes 36 may be loosened from vwalls of the tray in the manner 'previously described and thereafter harvested from the tray.

If desired a hook or hooks 45 may be mounted on a wall of the'refrigerator cabinet 20 (see Fig. 1) and one or'both of the openings 32 `in'grid 26 may be received-by the hook or hooks 45. In removing the grid 26 from the tray 23 With the aid of hook orhooks 45, secured to the cabinet 20, it is to be understood that the tray 23 is pulled away from-the cabinet and c'onsequently the grid is virtually `peeled out of the tray. It is obvious that' the peeling action of the webs 21 and 28 away from the ice cubes 36 will occury j irrespective of whether the tray is moved relative to the grid `or whether the grid is moved relative to the tray. f

My selection of a gradually. tapered grid for illustrating the principle of the invention is in no way to be construed as a limitation to the appended ciaims. Other structures, may be adopted for accomplishing the objects of my invention because it is not absolutely essential that the webs or partitioning members of the grid need be of a gradually increasing thickness toward the top of the grid so long as the upper portion of the grid is of greater thickness and of suflicient rigidity or stiffness, relative to those portions of the grid which divide the interior of the tray into molds, to permit progressive lstretching and peeling of the grid from the ic'e blocks. For example, a modified structure having the webs or partitioning members steppecl, in cross section, or provided with a plurality of horizontally extending Shoulders to provide a greater thickness at the top of the webs than at the bottom thereof may be employed to successfully carry out the prineiple of the invention.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an improved freezing apparatus or device and method of harvesting ice blocks therefrom. My invention eliminates .the application of artificial heat to the tray or to the grid disposed therein and consequently the temperature of the ice cubes or blocks are not materially increased during harvesting thereof. By eliminating the application of artificial' heat to the frozen contents of the tray the ice cubes or blocks will` remain at a sub-freezing temperature or at substantially the' same temperature of the evaporator or cooling unit. Therefore, if the ice cubes are immediately placed in thermal association with the substance to be cooled thereby, the specific heat required to bring the cubes up to cubes not removed from the tray. Thus the tray,

containing the remaining cubes, which are at a sub-freezing temperatlu'e can be placed in or repositioned on the cooling-unit and maintained at a sub-frcezin'g temperature without again form:

ing an iceb'ond with walls of the tray. Any or al] of the'remaining cubes in the tray can therefore be readilyfharvested without breaking an ice bond betweenthem and the tray. Ice cubes left in a-tray and permitted to increase in* temperature to 82 F. win men siighnyy and upon replacing the tray in thecooling unit these cubes will freeze and become bonded'toV the walls of the tray. However, if it is desired-to harvest some of these cubes which become bonded to the tray, the tray may be removed'cfrom the cooling unit and twisted or fiexed as previouslv explained to break the ice bond betweenfthe'cubes and the" tray in order to permit remoya-l thereo'f from the tray without application of art'ificial heat thereto."

While the form of embodim'ent' of'the invention as herein disclosed. constitutes fa preferred form. it is to be understood that other -forms'm'ght be adopted. all coming within'thescope ofthe claims which follow.

What is claimed is as`fol1ows: z

1. The combination with a'tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen and adapted to be placed in or on a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus, of a removable grid including a single longitudinal web and a plurality of integral webs extending laterally from each side of said longitudinal webalong the length thereof disposed within said tray and dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of open top molds, said grid being formed entirely of a fiexible material and the webs thereof being of a greater thickness at the top than at the bottom ofl the grid, and said grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from an end thereof away fromubstance congealed or frozen in said molds.

2. The combination with a metallic tray for eontaining a substance to be congealed or frozen and adapted to be placed in or on a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus, of a removable grid including a, single iongitudinal web and a plurality of integral webs extending laterally from each side of said longitudinal web along the length thereof disposed within said tray and dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of open top molds, said grid' being formed entirely of a fiexible molded rubber material and the webs thereof being of a greater thickness at the top than at the bottom of the gricl, and said grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from an end thereof away from substance con'gealed or frozen in said molds. v I

3. The combination with a tray of good heat conducting properties for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen and adapted to be placed in or on a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus, of a removable grid including a single longitudinal web and a plurality of integral webs extending laterally from each side of said longitudinal web along the length thereof disposed within said tray and dividing the interior thereof into a pliirality of open top molds, said grid being formed entirely of flexible material having poor heat conducting properties and the webs thereof beinglo'f a greater thickness at the' top than at the bottom of the grid, and said grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from an end thereof away from substance congealed `or frozen in said molds. I i

4. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen'and adapted to be placed in or on a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus, of a removable grid incliiding a single longitudinal web and a plurality of integral webs extending laterally from each side of said longitudihal web along the length thereof disposved'fv within said tray and dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of open top molds. said gridbein'g formed entirely of a fiex ible material and atfleast the plurality of laterally extending webs'thereof being of gradually increasing thickness toward thetop of said grld, and said grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from an end thereof awayi'from substance c'ongealed or frozen in said molds.

5. The 'combination'lwith'a metallic tray for containinga-substance to be congealed or frozen and adapted ltobe placed in or on a cooling element of a refr'geratiri'g apparat'us, of a removable grid including a single longitudinal web and a pluralit-'of"integral'webs extending laterally from each side of saidlongitudinal web along the length thereof disposed within said tray and dividing the interior thereof into a piurallty. of open top molds, said grid being formed entirely of a 'fiexible molded`-rubb`er material and the plurality oflaterally extending webs thereof` being ofl gradlially increasing'thickness toward the top of said grid, and said grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from an end thereof away from substance congealed or frozen in said molds.

6. The combination with a tray of good heat conducting properties for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen and adapted to be placed in or on a Cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus, of a removable grid including a single longitudinal web and a plurality of integral webs extending laterally fromfeahgide Of'aidI longitudinal web along the length thereof disposed within said tray anddividingthe interion thereof linto a plurality, of open top molds. said grid being formed entirely offlexible ,materiall having poor heat conducting properties and the plurality of laterally extending webs thereof being of gradually inereasing thickness toward the top of said grid, and said grid'beingflbendabl upwardly of the tray from an end thereof laway from substance congealed or frozen in laidmolds.

7. The'combination with a trayfforfcontairiing` a substance to be congealed or frozen and adaptf ed to be placed in or on acooling element ofa refrig'erating system, of a removable. grid including a longitudinal web and a pluifality-of integral; webs extending -laterally from the ;sides ;of .said g longitudinal web along the length-; thereofdis-yY posed within said tray and dividing the `interior' thereof into a. plurality of open-;top mloldrs, said grid being formed entirely of a: flexible materialV and the webs thereof being of a greater thickness at the top than at the bottomof`t,h e.grid,l thefree ends of the laterally extenrd'ihgtwebsterminating adjacent the inner surfacelof-thewalls wall of the open-top compartmentsalongvthe upright walls of said tray, landlfsai'di,grid being bendable upwardly of the tray from anendthereof away from substance congealed .o r frozen `in`` said molds.

mentof arefrigerating system, ofa', ,removable grid including'a single longitudinalweb and a of said tray whereby said'grid forms threeflside. walls and said tray forms the bottom and1one1side plurality of integral webs extending laterally from the sides of said longitudinal webalong the length-- thereof disposedwithin'said tray and-dividing tlE interior thereof into a pluralityv of .open-top)v molds said grid being formed entirely'of a fiexible molded 'rubber material and thepluralityotlat-`;. erally extending webs thereof being of 'graduallyi increasing thickness toward thertop'of said'fgrid,

said grid having a relatively stifllenlarged tion formed integrally with and at theftopof said longitudinal web, means at the top' of 'said'gr'i'dI adapted to receive an implement fr bendingthe grid upwardly of the tray from an endthereof away from substance congealed'or'fr'ozengin said4 molds, and said metallic tray'being As'uficiently reslnent to permit twistmg thereof tobr'ak the bond between the frozen substance and the tray walls. 

